


It's A Wonderful Life

by secondsofhappiness



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-21
Updated: 2016-12-21
Packaged: 2018-09-10 21:29:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8940046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/secondsofhappiness/pseuds/secondsofhappiness
Summary: Aaron raises his eyebrows before having a quick glance around the room. Nobody must be watching because he leans in close to Robert's ear, lips brushing his skin. "Just stay close to me and we can get drunk together. I promise we'll escape the first chance we get."It's sexy and soft and scathing all at once and Robert presses his lips together in a smile, turns his head so that his nose grazes his fiancés' cheek and nods. "You've got a deal but if that dog comes anywhere near my trousers again, I won't be responsible for my actions."-------Snapshots of Aaron and Robert's first Christmas Day together.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is for @thank-your-lucky-stars on tumblr, the lovely Bess. As promised!
> 
> I wanted to write them happy and Rob's reaction to a real, proper, warm and ridiculous Christmas. I have always had this NEED to see him in Wishing Well surrounded by Dingle nonsense and I am so happy my wish is going to come true :)  
> I hope you enjoy.

The day has barely begun and already he knows it's a day he won't forget in a hurry.

Robert Jacob Sugden would never openly admit to being sentimental but he recognises the way it has crept up on him, the way that his new life has wound its way into his heart and made him softer. Most people are still idiots and the world is screwed sometimes but sitting across from Aaron, watching him open a gift given to him by his sister with a smiling inching onto his face, Robert knows he has finally found the kind of happiness he dismissed as a myth so long ago.

Liv's smiling and biting at her lip and it's in these moments that she's so like Aaron. She pokes at Aaron's arm. "Come on," she urges, rolling her eyes fondly, "open it!"

Robert's sitting with a similar sized unopened parcel in his lap. It's the first time in a long time that he's received a Christmas gift that wasn't from either Vic or Diane and the way Liv has attempted to curl the ribbon makes him smile. Aaron eventually tears into the wrapping and out falls a jumper, a jumper decorated with snowmen and Robert coughs to cover up his laugh.

"Well, aren't you going to look festive," he tries, grabbing his coffee cup to hide his smile behind as Aaron shoots him a look of both fear and amusement.

Liv glares at him, pursing her lips and nods at his lap. "Don't think you've escaped either, Rob." She's defiant and it scares him how much he likes her sometimes. "Come on. Open." 

"Fine." He gives in because Aaron's already unzipping his hoodie and, of course he's going to comply and sport some cheesy tacky thing for Liv. Anything to make the kid smile. "But don't think I'm wearing a pair of those," he says around a smile, nodding towards the wobbly Christmas trees sprouting from her hairband.

She snorts out a laugh. "Couldn't ruin the perfectly waxed hair, could I?" He narrows his eyes but laughs too. She has a point. 

He hears Aaron's chuckle before he sees the pattern himself and as the little red reindeer appear between the torn paper, Robert's chest tightens with a feeling of fondness he's not quiet used to; he swallows hard to school his expression. "Well, at least they're not snowmen," he says and Liv seems to be appeased because she grins and jumps up, declares that they have ten minutes to change and leaves in a pint sized whirlwind of soft blue wool and sparkles.

It's Aaron who speaks first because, of course he's noticed Robert is rattled. "You don't have to wear it if you don't want to," he says, tapping his knee to Robert's with a smile. He looks so good. He's all soft and still sleepy despite his shower and Robert can't deny him a thing - not today.

"Oh I'm wearing it," Robert says quickly, grinning. "You think I'd let your kid sister think she's got one over on me?"

Aaron rolls his eyes with a smirk. "Fine," he says, reaching over to hold up Robert's sweater against him, "don't tell me what's going on in that head of yours then. Just put this on and we can be in hell together."

Robert looks into Aaron's eyes then and there's a moment, the very thing he's grown to cherish over recent months now they're closer than ever - understanding. Aaron's eyes are alive and gentle as they lock with Robert's sending tingles down his spine and a warmth that only closeness and familiarity can provide. Aaron knows he's overwhelmed and that's enough. It means that under the cover of the dinner table or tucked down behind their backs as they're standing around watching everyone open presents, Aaron will reach out and tangle his fingers with Robert's, his thumb stroking gentle lines across the back of his hand and Robert will breathe deep and hold tight.

\---------

They arrive in the middle of Belle's birthday presents. Robert finds himself in Wishing Well cottage surrounded by the village's Dingle population and it's terrifying.

He's pretty sure he's dreaming. It's not a nightmare as such but it's more like a fever dream in which the guy who once tied him to a chair and beat him to a pulp passes him a beer with nod.

Robert is proud of being an independent guy; he knows he can hold his own and fend for himself but as Alfie brushes his leg leaving a strip of grey hairs on his trousers and Charity snorts a laugh into her wine glass while sporting some oversized balloon contraption on her head, he's not sure he can do this. Not alone.

"You ok?" 

All at once, Robert's hammering heart slows at the sound of Aaron's voice. He leans back against the kitchen bench inching a fraction towards the one person in the room he knows has his back.

"Yeah," he offers in reply. It's about all he can manage as he spots Sam lick peanut salt off his fingers before burying them back in the bowl. He frowns and rolls his eyes, ducking to dust the hairs off his trousers. They'd taken him ages to iron and they're new - ten minutes in the Dingles' presence and he's already craving his lint roller.

"Just drink more," Aaron whispers in his ear, "it helps." As Robert straightens up, Aaron is grinning into the rim of his pint glass and clearly stifling a laugh.

"I hate you." Aaron laughs then, shaking his head, leaning back to rest his pint behind them. He hoists himself up so he's sitting on the bench, legs dangling. Robert watches him pat the space to his right. "No way."

Aaron raises his eyebrows before having a quick glance around the room. Nobody must be watching because he leans in close to Robert's ear, lips brushing his skin. "Just stay close to me and we can get drunk together. I promise we'll escape the first chance we get."

It's sexy and soft and scathing all at once and Robert presses his lips together in a smile, turns his head so that his nose grazes his fiancés' cheek and nods. "You've got a deal but if that dog comes anywhere near my trousers again, I won't be responsible for my actions."

Aaron's eyes crinkle as he laughs, nodding and rolling the eyes that Robert likes to stare into, especially when Aaron's like this. It isn't often he's comfortable and quick to smile and Robert feels his chest tighten, a familiar feeling of desperation clench in his stomach. He wants this so badly - Aaron by his side against the world. 

"Just drink up. I smuggled a hip flask of whisky in my coat pocket so we're set."

Robert laughs then and even the panic of Aaron decanting his expensive single malt is lost because it's Aaron and it's Christmas and they're going to get drunk and for the first time in a long time, Christmas feels the way it should.

\---------

Two board games, three arguments, two crates of alcohol, an oven fire and a mishap with a recording on a laptop (that Robert really doesn't want to know about) later and Robert can feel himself swaying. His lips won't stop curling up at the edges and despite the fact he and Aaron have resumed their place on the benches, surveying the madness, Robert feels like he may tip off the edge.

He's pretty hammered and life is weird.

Aaron's leaning close, propped up on the arm that's resting behind Robert's back and the warmth is distracting. Robert leans back into it and Aaron sits up straighter with his weight against the wall freeing his hand that quickly comes to rest at Robert's hip, hidden from view. Robert's watching Chas and Charity try to set up Twister on the floor as the dog darts between them. They're giggling, Belle's playing mother hen and Robert's certain he has the edges of a headache but that's when Aaron's fingers slip under the hem of his jumper followed by his whole hand that rests wide and hot against his skin. He shudders and bites his lip against a smile. After a beat, he leans back against the wall too, daring to rest his head there and turn it towards his fiancé who is clearly attempting to put him an early grave.

Their eyes lock and Robert feels himself swimming in warmth. Aaron's grin is lopsided, his eyes soft and more than a little glazed, cheeks pink and it takes every ounce of will power not to reach out and touch the soft curls of his hair. "I don't think I could escape now even if I wanted to," Robert manages to say and shivers as Aaron offers the smallest of smiles, his fingers moving against Robert's skin. Robert narrows his eyes with a smile. "You're doing that on purpose."

"I can stop if it's upsetting you so much," Aaron says quietly and suddenly they're alone in that vacuum only they can create, Aaron so close and happy and Robert feels his heart stutter in his chest. He surveys the madness in front of him and presses back into Aaron's hand.

"Don't you dare."

He feels the vibrations of Aaron's laugh through his body and Robert's struggles to care that Cain Dingle could be watching them or that Aaron's mum may look over at any moment. 

Mere months ago, he'd have laughed if anyone would have described this reality, scoffing at the thought of it but he can't bring himself to anymore. He watches as Carly plaits Liv's hair on the sofa, Liv's cheeks pink as they both laugh at the Twister disaster unfolding on the floor and without a thought Robert turns quickly to press a hard, hot kiss against Aaron's jaw. 

Aaron's fingers still against his skin and after a moment of silence, they resume. 

"Me too," Aaron says and Robert knows. 

\---------

The air is cold as they start their walk back to the pub. The village is frosty and the breeze biting so Robert pulls the collar of his new tweed jacket up and presses his nose into his scarf. Aaron had worn it on their walk up and it smells of him. He smiles as he walks, or more correctly sways, beside Chas. 

"You need to jump higher, you muppet!" Aaron's laughing, stumbling as Liv hoists herself higher and jumps onto his back, both of them cheering when he manages to lock his arms under her legs. "See," he shouts, "not an old man after all!"

Chas chuckles beside him. "This is going to end in disaster," she says simply and Robert raises his eyebrows in agreement.

Liv laughs loudly then and winds her arms around Aaron's neck. "You're both grumpy old men," she says with a pointed face pulled over her shoulder in Robert's general direction.

"And you're going to boarding school next year if you carry on like that," he shouts back, Aaron snorting before attempting to run with her. He's had far too much to drink to support the weight of a teenager and too much food to manage it without making himself ill but Robert clocks the smile on his face and knows he'll battle on all the way home. 

"You'd miss me, Rob," Liv chimes back, whooping as Aaron staggers sideways. "Woah, don't kill me, will ya?"

Aaron groans. "Liv, you're a lump and I've just eaten half a turkey." 

"Fine," she sighs and smacks his back. "Let me down, old man." She hops off and Aaron stretches his back, face screwed up in pain. Ahead, Chas falls into step with Liv but Robert stops beside Aaron.

"I've got the number of a great chiropractor if you need one," Robert says, smirking down at Aaron and enjoying the way his arms look even if they are decorated with the inane smiles of knitted snowmen.

Aaron straightens up with a scowl; its as menacing as a puppy and Robert rubs his hand down Aaron's back before unwinding his scarf and looping it around Aaron's exposed neck. He smiles up at him then, hands stuffed into the pockets of his body warmer. They fall into step with each other, swaying a little still.

The fields are dusted white with frost and each step crunches but Robert has never felt so warm. The walk is slow but Aaron is beside him and talking about something that Robert isn't paying attention to because Aaron's hair's doing that curling thing at his ears and his eyes are bright.

"You're not listening to me, are you?" Aaron asks suddenly and Robert blinks into the moment, smirking. 

"Not at all," he says simply because he can't lie. Aaron laughs though, tucking his nose into his scarf. "I thought I could handle my drink," Robert tries, a smile difficult to suppress, "but your family have a skill. I'm sure Charity necked two bottles of wine before the starters."

Aaron's laugh is muffled by his scarf but he glances up under his eyelashes. "You'll get used to it," he says and Robert's skin flushes warm at their implied future, the reality sitting comfortably in his chest and sparking that sweet feeling of desperation once again.

"Just as long as we can get drunk together every year, I think I can manage."

Aaron breathes out a laugh, shaking his head.

"What?" Because Robert can sense the unspoken words, the trademark sarcastic response that he has always found so addictive.

"You're just as a common as us."

Robert tuts, affronted. He'd argue back but with an empty hip flask in his pocket, a present from Lisa in Chas's bag that he's almost certain is stolen and the smell of a log fire clinging to his clothes, it'd be a lost cause. He's got that fluttery feeling in his stomach again and it isn't a product of the two plates of food he's just put away. 

Instead, he opts for a standard retort. "I think you'll find I'm suave and classy."

Aaron wrinkles his nose. "You just spent the day with my family. What class you might have had just flew out the window, Rob."

Now, that he can't argue with. Aaron's eyes are shining with amusement though and he can't help but bite back because it's what they do. "I'm just having a fever dream and any second now I'll wake up at some expensive cocktail party with champagne in one hand and no dog hairs on my pants." Aaron stops walking then, brow crinkled and Robert breathes out a laugh, stepping in closer. Aaron's eyes follow him and, in them, Robert sees a flash of insecurity. It's still there and it's a battle they're going to have to fight together. He takes a breath and leans in close. "I'm joking, Aaron."

Aaron's eyes are downcast as he kicks at the ground with the toe of his boot. He looks up eventually and Robert can't help but duck quickly to catch his lips in a kiss, Aaron's nose cold against his. There are hands fisted into the front his jumper and Robert shivers, leaning in closer. 

It's slow and Robert tilts his head, lips dragging a little as Aaron's hands travel insistent and firm further into his coat. He can feel Aaron's breath against his skin, the stuttering of it and it makes him kiss harder, more insistent until Aaron makes a noise that sparks every nerve in Robert's body, his skin now hot and hands reaching Aaron's cheeks, dragging him closer. Suddenly, Aaron pulls away with a shuddering breath against his cheek, their foreheads pressed together.

Robert is first to speak because Aaron needs to know - he can't have any confusion. "Today might have felt like a fever dream but I wouldn't be anywhere else."

Aaron leans back a little and Robert can feel his heartbeat in his throat watching the emotions flood Aaron's eyes. They're still swaying and Robert leans in for another kiss, this time gentle and slow. Everything Aaron deserves and everything Robert craves.

As he tilts his head back a fraction, Aaron's expression is soft and despite the fact he can hear Liv shouting from a distance about getting a room and giving the sheep an eye full, he smiles.

When Aaron speaks, it's low and private and they're wrapped up again in that place that's only theirs. "Let's go home." 

\---------

Robert has often wondered how people can wax lyrical about love. All the novels and songs written with the sole purpose of trying to put into words how it feels and he's always dismissed them as fantasy, as something people pinned their hopes on to ignore their own loneliness. He's never experienced that feeling of home, always trying to manufacture it. It always ended with emptiness and disappointment. 

Sitting in only the light from a silver Christmas tree, on a couch covered in tacky purple cushions, in a pub run by a woman who once said she hated his guts with a teenage girl asleep in the opposite armchair and a man pressed solidly against his side, Robert has never felt more at home in his life.

"Your brain isn't half loud," Aaron says softly, lifting his head from where it's rested against Robert's shoulder, their bodies aligned and sock covered feet propped up on the coffee table. Robert looks down to Aaron's lips and then up to meet his eyes.

"I thought you were asleep after all that food."

Aaron hums, tucking his head back down. Robert smiles at the lines from his jumper indented in Aaron's cheek. "Nah, I'm going to watch the film. You went on and on about it yesterday and seeing as you let Liv watch The Muppets, I thought it was only fair."

Robert feels Aaron's grin against his arm. "It's a Wonderful Life is a classic."

"So you keep saying."

Robert rolls his eyes. His mission to add a little more culture into Aaron's life is a slow process. "It's about a guy who feels like he's messed up and hurt everyone he loves but can't fix it," he starts, his fingers inching across to curl into Aaron's palm. "He thinks the only way out is to end things."

He squeezes Aaron's hand and feels Aaron's breathing still for a moment. There's a short silence before Aaron shifts against him, uncharacteristically affectionate as he presses his nose into Robert's shoulder and looks up at him under thick dark eyelashes.

"It's got a happy ending though, yeah?"

Robert looks at him - really looks - and it amazes him how Aaron can look both his age and yet so worn down by life. He presses a little closer, smiles and tries to memorise the warmth, the glow from the tree and the smell of Aaron's aftershave because it's home and real and so precious. 

He threads his fingers with Aaron's and breathes. "Yeah it does. A really happy one."


End file.
